Electric power generation

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for electric power generation. A system includes a boiler for heating a fluid, the boiler directing a first portion of the heated fluid to a turbine for the generation of electric power and a second portion of the heated fluid to a thermoelectric (TE) generator, and a condenser connected to the turbine that condenses hot fluid emitted from the turbine and feeds the condensed fluid to the TE generator, the TE generator generating electric power from a difference in temperature of the second portion of the heated fluid and the condensed fluid from the turbine.

This is a divisional application of application Ser. No. 13/534,367filed on Jun. 27, 2012. I claim priority to application Ser. No.13/534,367 filed on Jun. 27, 2012.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention generally relates to the generation of energy, and morespecifically to electric power generation.

In general, electricity is produced at an electric power plant. Somefuels source, such as coal, oil, natural gas, or nuclear energy producesheat. The heat is used to boil water to create steam. The steam underhigh pressure is used to spin a turbine. The spinning turbine interactswith a system of magnets to produce electricity. The electricity istransmitted as moving electrons through a series of wires to homes andbusinesses.

A by-product of electrical power generation is heat. The efficiency ofany system that generates heat as a by-product can be greatly improvedby recovering or reducing the energy lost as heat.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following presents a simplified summary of the innovation in orderto provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. Thissummary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is intended toneither identify key or critical elements of the invention nor delineatethe scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some conceptsof the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detaileddescription that is presented later.

The present invention provides methods and apparatus for electric powergeneration.

In general, in one aspect, the invention features a system including aboiler for heating a fluid, the boiler directing a first portion of theheated fluid to a turbine for the generation of electric power and asecond portion of the heated fluid to a thermoelectric (TE) generator,and a condenser connected to the turbine that condenses hot fluidemitted from the turbine and feeds the condensed fluid to the TEgenerator, the TE generator generation electric power from a differencein temperature of the second portion of the heated fluid and thecondensed fluid from the turbine.

In another aspect, the invention features a system including a feedwater pump, a line linking the feed water pump to a boiler, the boilerheating cold fluid from the feed water pump to produce hot fluid, a linelinking the boiler to a turbine and a feed water reheater, the lineproviding a first portion of the hot fluid from the boiler to theturbine and a second portion of the hot fluid from the boiler to thefeed water reheater, and a first thermoelectric (TE) unit for receivinghot fluid from the feed water reheater and condensate from thecondenser, the first TE unit generating electric power from a differencebetween a temperature of the hot fluid from the feed water reheater andthe temperature of the condensate from the condenser.

In still another aspect, the invention features a method including, in asystem including a boiler linked to a turbine, enabling a thermoelectric(TE) generator to receive a boiler generated hot fluid from the boilerand a turbine and condenser generated cold fluid from the turbine and acondenser and generate electric power from a difference between atemperature of the boiler generated hot fluid and a temperature of theturbine generated cold fluid.

In still another aspect, the invention features a method including, in apower generation system, extracting high temperature fluid from a heatexchanger, extracting cold feed water before it is reheated and pumpedinto the heat exchanger, generating electrical power from a differencein a temperature of the extracted high temperature fluid and atemperature of the extracted cold feed water in a thermoelectric (TE)generator, capturing any thermal energy discharged by the TE generator,and sending the thermal energy back to the heat exchanger.

Other features and advantages of the invention are apparent from thefollowing description, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the detaileddescription, in conjunction with the following figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary power generation system.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary power generation system.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary chart illustrating thermoelectric module cost andpower output as a function of steam flow.

FIG. 5 is an exemplary chart illustrating an estimate of a performanceimprovement achievable using one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of another embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The subject innovation is now described with reference to the drawings,wherein like reference numerals are used to refer, to like elementsthroughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation,numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of the present invention. It may be evident, however, thatthe present invention may be practiced without these specific details.In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in blockdiagram form in order to facilitate describing the present invention.

As used herein, the term “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or”rather than an exclusive “or.” That is, unless specified otherwise, orclear from context, “X employs A or B” is intended to mean any of thenatural inclusive permutations. That is, if X employs A; X employs B; orX employs both A and B, then “X employs A or B” is satisfied under anyof the foregoing instances. Moreover, articles “a” and “an” as used inthe subject specification and annexed drawings should generally beconstrued to mean “one or more” unless specified otherwise or clear fromcontext to be directed to a singular form.

In general, thermodynamic cycles can be divided into two generalcategories, i.e., power cycles, which produce a net power output, andrefrigeration and heat pump cycles, which consume a net power input.Furthermore, thermodynamic power cycles can be categorized as gas cyclesand vapor cycles. In gas cycles, a working fluid remains in a gas phasethroughout an entire cycle. In vapor cycles, a working fluid exits asvapor phase during one part of a cycle and as liquid phase duringanother part of the cycle.

Steam power plants run vapor power cycles with water as the workingfluid. The vapor power cycle is often referred to as a “Rankine cycle.”

As shown in FIG. 1, an exemplary vapor power plant 10, which cangenerate electrical power by using fuels such as coal, oil or naturalgas, includes a subsystem 12, subsystem 14, subsystem 16, and subsystem18. Subsystem 12 involves energy conversion from heat to work andsubsystem 14 involves an energy source required to vaporize the fluid,e.g., water. Subsystem 16 is an electric generator 20 and subsystem 18is a cooling water system 22. The thermodynamic cycle in FIG. 1 iscalled the Rankine cycle.

As shown in FIG. 2, subsystems 12 and 14 include a boiler 30, a turbine32, a condenser 34 and a pump 36. Fuel, burned in the boiler 30, heatswater to generate steam (i.e., subsystem 14 of FIG. 1). This steam isused to run the turbine 32 that powers the generator 20 (subsystem 16 ofFIG. 1). Electrical energy is generated when the generator windingsrotate in a magnetic field (subsystem 16 of FIG. 1). After the steamleaves the turbine 32, it is cooled to its liquid state in the condenser34 by transferring heat to the cooling water system 22 (subsystem 18 ofFIG. 1). The liquid is pressurized by a pump 36 prior to going back tothe boiler 30.

The four components 30, 32, 34 and 36 associated with the Rankine cycleare steady-flow devices and can be analyzed as steady-flow process. Thekinetic and potential energy changes of water are small relative to theheat and work terms, and thus neglected.

The pump 36 pressurizes the liquid water from the condenser 34 prior togoing back to the boiler 30. Assuming no heat transfer with thesurroundings, the energy balance in the pump 36 is:w _(pump,in) =h ₂ −h ₁

Liquid water enters the boiler 30 and is heated to a superheated statein the boiler 30. The energy balance in the boiler 30 is:q _(in) =h ₃ −h ₂

Steam from the boiler 30, which has an elevated temperature andpressure, expands through the turbine 32 to produce work and then isdischarged to the condenser 34 with relatively low pressure. Neglectingheat transfer with the surroundings, the energy balance in the turbine32 is:w _(turbine,out) =h ₃ −h ₄

Steam from the turbine 32 is condensed to liquid water in the condenser34. The energy balance in the condenser 34 is:q _(out) =h ₄ −h ₁

For the entire cycle, the energy balance can be obtained by summarizingthe four energy equations above, which yield:(q _(in) −q _(out))−(w _(turbine,out) −w _(pump,in))=0

The thermal efficiency of the Rankine cycle is determined from:η_(th) =w _(net,out) /q _(in)=1−q _(out) /q _(in)

where the net work output from the cycle is:w _(net,out) =w _(turbine,out) −w _(pump,in)

The net work output may be drastically improved with the addition of athermoelectric (TE) generator. In general, a TE generator is asemiconductor-based electronic component that converts heat (temperaturedifferences) into electrical energy using a phenomenon called the“Seebeck Effect.” A TE generator generally includes two or more elementsof n- and p-type doped semiconductor material that are connectedelectrically in series and thermally in parallel. These thermoelectricelements and their electrical interconnects typically are mountedbetween two ceramic substrates. The substrates hold the overallstructure together mechanically and electrically insulate the individualelements from one another and from external mounting surfaces. Examplesof thermoelectric materials that may be used include, but are notlimited to, bismuth telluride, lead telluride, and silicon-germanium.

As shown in FIG. 3, a first exemplary electric power generation system100 includes a boiler 102. Fluid within the boiler 102 is heated, andsteam exits through an output line 104 to a turbine 106 and as a hotfluid through an output line 108 to a thermoelectric (TE) generator 110,sometimes referred to as a TE unit. The TE generator 110 may include oneor more thermoelectric generators or other thermoelectric modules andthus when referred to herein, the TE generator 110 need not consistsolely of a single TE generator or module. Example hot fluids includehot water, steam, superheated steam, and so forth. Although FIG. 3 showsa single output line exiting the boiler which splits into a turbineinput line 104 linked to the turbine 106 and a TE generator input line108 linked to the TE generator, alternatively the lines 104 and 108 maybe implemented as lines that exit the boiler 102 separately. Steamentering the turbine 106 causes elements within the turbine 106 torotate.

Extractor 112 extracts steam from the turbine 106, which is fed into anopen heater 116, enabling steam from the extractor 112 to mix with andheat feed water with the intent of increasing an overall systemefficiency. Although one extractor 112 is shown in FIG. 3 for purposesof example, the system 100 may include any number of extractors, such asone, three, or more extractors. Fluid heated by the open heater 116 isoutputted to a pump 122, which feeds the heated feed water back into theboiler 102.

Steam and some condensate exiting the turbine 106 also enters acondenser 118, where it is condensed at a constant pressure andtemperature to become a liquid. A condenser output line 120 providescondensed fluid to the TE generator 110.

A temperature difference in the TE generator 110 created by hot fluidfrom the boiler 102 through output line 108 and condensate from thecondenser 118 flowing through condenser output line 120 results in thegeneration of electric power through the Seebeck Effect.

An exhaust of hot fluid from a hot side of the TE generator 110 throughoutput line 123 to open heater 116 and exhaust of condensate on a coldside of the TE generator 110 through output line 124 to the open heater116 captures heat not converted directly to electricity in the TEgenerator 110, thus enabling the heat to be recycled and reutilized.

Other implementations may include, for example, any one or more of flowcontrol and pressure control valves, closed heaters, deaerators, flashtanks, heat exchangers, desuperheaters, pumps, flow restrictors,reheaters, and so forth.

The thermal efficiency of a thermoelectric module in a TE unit can bedefined as the percentage of heat entering the thermoelectric modulethat is actually converted directly to electricity. Therefore a thermalefficiency of 6% means that 6% of the heat flux at the hot surface ofthe thermoelectric module is converted directly to electricity. Thebalance of 94% is transferred to the cold medium. The Thermal efficiencyof a BiTe thermoelectric generator is generally low, less than 6%,because heat rejected by the generator to the cold medium is consideredto be irreversibly lost. Embodiments of the present invention place thethermoelectric generator 110 in a Rankine Cycle such that heat rejectedby the thermoelectric generator 110 is not lost but returned to theboiler 102 and where the role of the boiler 102 is to replace the energyconverted to electric power in both the TE generator 110 and the turbinegenerator 106 and replace any thermal energy lost to the environment.The resulting thermal efficiency of the subsystem within the RankineCycle of the TE generator 110 coupled with that proportion of the boiler102 that replaces heat converted to electricity in the TE generator 110is effectively near 100%. Embodiments of the present invention,therefore, provide a significant positive impact on overall systemefficiency, fuel consumption, stack emissions, and waste heat.

Implementations of using hot fluid to feed the TE generator 110 can beadapted for use in all types of power plants, including gas turbinepower plants, fossil fired steam power plants (e.g., coal, natural gas,and oil), nuclear power plants (e.g., boiling water reactor (BWR) andpressuried water reactor (PWR)), combined cycle power plants,co-generation power plants, integrated gasification combined cycle(IGCC) power plants, and so forth.

Extraction of hot fluid used to feed the TE generator 110 can originatefrom any one or more or multiple locations within the overall system100. For example, in power plants with a furnace/boiler arrangement(e.g., fossil fired steam power plants), hot fluid may be obtained froma reheater, steam exhausted from the high pressure turbine prior toentering the reheater, main steam (superheated) flowing to a HP Turbine,steam leaving a steam drum before entering the superheater, steam fromthe steam drum, steam leaving the reheater before entering the IPturbine, steam leaving a reheater before entering the LP turbine, hotfeed water before entering the boiler, hot water leaving the economizer,hot water from the steam drum, and so forth.

In power plants with a heat recovery steam generator (or boiler), hotfluid may be obtained from a reheater, feed water entering a lowpressure economizer, feed water leaving the low pressure economizer,steam leaving a low pressure evaporator, steam vented to atmosphere,feed water entering a high pressure economizer, feed water leaving thehigh pressure economizer, steam leaving a high pressure evaporator,steam leaving a superheater, steam leaving a desuperheater, and soforth.

In nuclear power plants (e.g., boiling water reactors and pressurizedwater reactors), hot fluid can be obtained from main steam out of aboiling water reactor before entering a high pressure turbine, mainsteam out of a steam generator before entering a high pressure turbineon a pressurized water reactor, and so forth.

Equipment used between a point of extraction and the TE generator 110 toregulate temperature, flow, pressure or steam quality can include aflash tank, a heat exchanger, a desuperheater, a flow control valve, apressure regulating valve, a pump, one or more flow restrictors, one ormore reheaters, and so forth.

As shown in FIG. 4, a chart 400 illustrates the relationship between acost of the thermoelectric modules in a TE generator and steam flow to aTE unit for a 46 MW plant, assuming thermoelectric modules are purchasedat $2.00 per watt. Also shown is the electric power produced by the TEunit as a function of steam flow. For a 46 MW power plant with totalsteam flow to the turbine at 350,000 lbm per hour, at 90,000 lbm perhour of steam flow to the TE unit, the turbine produces almost 780 KWand the thermoelectric modules of the TE unit cost $2,000/KW.

As shown in FIG. 5, a chart 500 illustrates the benefits to a TE unitintegrated into a power plant where power produced by the TE unit isoffset by an equivalent reduction in turbine generator output and totalplant output remains unchanged.

At 90,000 lbm per hour of steam flow to the TE unit, the TE unitproduces 780 KW or approximately 1.7% of a total plant output. Thus,benefits to the plant include total fuel savings of 1.3%, a reduction inwaste heat flowing from a condenser to a cooling tower of 2%, and anoverall plant efficiency gain of almost 0.5%.

What is also illustrated in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 is a point of diminishingreturn for both steam flow to the TE unit as well as for the size of theTE unit for a given plant. This limitation is related to the fixed rateof condensate flow from the condenser and the resulting decline in amean temperature difference between hot and cold fluids in the TE unitand resulting lower conversion efficiency of a thermoelectric module ina TE unit as steam flow (hot side) to the TE unit is increased without acorresponding increase in condensate flow.

As shown in FIG. 6, a second exemplary electric power generation system600, where solid flow lines indicate hot fluid and dashed flow linesindicate cold fluid, includes a feed water pump 602 connected to a coldfluid line 604 that includes a line 606 to a feed water reheater 618 anda bypass 607. As used herein, the term “reheater” may refer to any kindof heat exchanger. The bypass 607 enables flow of feed water to a boiler608 and flow control valve 611. The line 606 enables flow of feed waterto the feed water reheater 618 and flow control valve 610. A boiler 608heats cold fluid to generate hot fluid, such as, for example, hot water,saturated steam, or superheated steam. A main hot fluid line 612 exitingthe boiler 608 includes a bypass 614. The main hot fluid line 612enables steam to flow into a turbine 616 and the bypass 614 to the feedwater reheater 618. A dry vapor (e.g., steam) expands through theturbine 616, generating power. This decreases the temperature andpressure of the vapor, and some condensation may occur.

Hot fluid flows from the boiler 608 through output lines 612 and 614 or615 to the feed water reheater 618. Hot fluid from the feed waterreheater 618 then flows through output line 628 to a hot side of a TEunit 630. Hot fluid exhausted by the hot side of TE unit 630 flows to ahot side of TE unit 634 through output line 632. Hot fluid exhausted bythe hot side of TE unit 634 flows to an open heater 624 through outputline 639.

Hot fluid exhausted by the turbine 616 enters a condenser 623, where itis condensed at a constant pressure and temperature to become asaturated liquid. The pressure and temperature of the condenser 623 arefixed by a temperature of cooling coils within the condenser 623 as thefluid is undergoing a phase-change.

Condensate from the condenser 623 is pumped by a condensate pump 640 toa cold side of TE unit 630 through output line 641. Condensate exhaustedfrom the cold side of TE unit 630 flows through output line 636 to acold side of TE unit 634. Condensate exhausted from the cold side of TEunit 634 flows to a closed heater 626 through output line 637.Alternatively, the cold fluid may flow from unit 634 to unit 630, evenwhile the hot fluid flows from unit 630 to unit 634.

TE Unit 630 uses a temperature difference between the high temperaturefluid entering though line 628 and exhausting though output line 632 andthe relatively colder fluid entering though line 641 and exhaustingthrough line 636 to produce electric energy through the Seebeck Effect.

TE unit 634 uses the temperature difference between the high temperaturefluid entering though line 632 and exhausting though output line 639 andthe relatively colder fluid entering though line 636 and exhaustingthrough line 637 to produce electric energy through the Seebeck Effect.

Condensate flowing though the cold side of TE unit 630 and TE unit 634is heated by a thermal energy flowing from the hot side fluid and notconverted to electric energy through the Seebeck Effect.

Condensate entering the closed heater 626 is further heated by steamextracted 622 from the turbine 616. Condensate then flows to the openheater 624 through output line 638 where it mixes with hot fluidsexhausted from TE unit 634 and is further heated by steam extractor 620from the turbine 616. Line 642 enables the flow of hot fluid extracted622 from the turbine 616 to heat condensate in the closed heater 626 toflow to the open heater 624.

Feed water collected in the open heater 624 is pumped to the boiler 608and feed water reheater 618 by the feed water pump 602.

Multiple steam extractors 620, 622 extract hot fluid from the turbine616 and enable the extracted hot fluid to enter the open heater 624 andthe closed heater 626, respectively.

Design of the systems described herein increases power plant efficiency,electric power output, fuel efficiency, reduces waste heat produced andgas emissions in relation to a conventional power plant. This isachieved using the thermal energy of hot fluid produced by the boiler onthe hot side and condensate and/or makeup feed fluid on the cold sideand recapturing (e.g., in open or closed heaters) any thermal energy notconverted to electric energy in the TE generator.

The foregoing description does not represent an exhaustive list of allpossible implementations consistent with this disclosure or of allpossible variations of the implementations described. A number ofimplementations have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understoodthat various modifications may be made without departing from the spiritand scope of the systems, devices, methods and techniques describedhere. For example, various forms of the flows shown above may be used,with steps re-ordered, added, or removed. Accordingly, otherimplementations are within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system comprising: a feed water pump; a linelinking the feed water pump to a boiler, the boiler heating cold fluidfrom the feed water pump to produce hot fluid; a line linking the boilerto a turbine and a feed water reheater, the line providing a firstportion of the hot fluid from the boiler to the turbine and a secondportion of the hot fluid from the boiler to the feed water reheater; anda first generator unit for receiving hot fluid only from the feed waterreheater and condensate from a condenser, the first generator unitgenerating electric power from a difference between a temperature of thehot fluid from the feed water reheater and the temperature of thecondensate from the condenser.
 2. The system of claim 1 furthercomprising: a second generator unit for receiving hot fluid from thefirst generator unit and cold fluid from the first generator unit, thesecond generator unit generating electric power from a differencebetween the temperature of the hot fluid from the first generator unitand the temperature of cold fluid from the first generator unit.
 3. Thesystem of claim 2 further comprising: a closed heater for receiving hotfluid extracted from the turbine at a second turbine extraction andfluid exhausted from the cold side of the second generator unit; and anopen heater for receiving and enabling a mixing of a hot fluid exhaustedfrom a hot side of the second generator unit, hot fluid from the secondturbine extraction flowing through and exhausted from the closed heater,condensate flowing from the closed heater and hot fluid from a firstturbine extraction, the open heater providing open heater generated feedwater for the feed water pump.
 4. The system of claim 2, wherein thesecond generator unit comprises a second thermoelectric (TE) generatorunit.
 5. The system of claim 1 wherein a feed water reheater generatedfeed water is fed to the boiler.
 6. The system of claim 1 wherein theline linking the boiler to the turbine includes a bypass directing thesecond portion of the hot fluid from the boiler to the feed waterreheater.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first generator unitcomprises a first thermoelectric (TE) generator unit.
 8. A methodcomprising: In a system comprising a boiler or steam generator linked toboth a turbine and a feed water reheater, and a generator receivingfluid from only the feed water reheater and a condenser, sendingboiler-generated or steam generator-generated high temperature fluidfrom the reheater to the generator and sending a condenser-generatedcold feed water to the generator, and generating electric power from atemperature difference between the high temperature fluid from the feedwater reheater and the cold feed water from the condenser; and capturingthe thermal energy discharged by the generator; and sending the thermalenergy back to the boiler or the steam generator, and/or to the feedwater reheater.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the generatorcomprises a thermoelectric generator.